DIRECTV Remains Clear HD Leader with 130 HD Channels

[DodgerKing]

Seems like a waste of space to make 18, yes EIGHTEEN, pay per view channels, when there are channels like Hbo that could be added. Who watches all those pay per view channels anyway. At least DISH has the right idea and puts the pay per views on your hard drive and you can access them when you want. That way you can use your valuable satellite bandwith for more REAL hd channels.

It has been said many times, YES MANY TIMES, that these are temporary channels.

This is the proper way the rollout should occur.

First, they are early in in their roll out. Remember, they originally announce that D11 would not be functional until September?

Second, they took care of all of the formatting and cleanup. The MPEG4 translation of existing channels and balancing the loads between D10 and D11. In order to balance they had to fill the space with something until other channels come along. They are using profit making PPV to fill these empty spaces. This has been confirmed by reliable sourcse. They also decided to expand their profit-generating sports. As much as many of you don't care about sports and PPV, the truth of the matter is, both are a huge source of revenue fo Direct.

Third, the next step would be to add more national HD, which they announced they would do and it is also what our very reliable insiders tell us as well.

It has been said by many that lighting up PPV channels is the easiest way to make sure that the broadcast pipeline will be ready when new channels come on line for them.

It is a fact that more HD is coming, this is just the beginning and it came a month ahead of what was originally planned.

 

[buckeye927]

Wished I had slept in.

Well, don't worry, they gave us 3 extra PPVs so they could say 130 in the mean time

I'm glad I slept in, full well expecting disappointment.

If you have the satellite in space testing, and know you're getting capacity by an estimated date, why not get the contracts in place ahead of time.

This is flat out disappointing. Poor Execution.

Very "meh". Thought for sure they would pull some positive surprise. Instead, we actually got less than expected with a few of the RSNs being delayed.

I guess Dish wins this little battle in the HD war. Maybe Direct can counter something positive by the end of the month...ESPNU HD would be a tremendous addition for college football season.

 

[satjay]

Very "meh". Thought for sure they would pull some positive surprise. Instead, we actually got less than expected with a few of the RSNs being delayed.

I guess Dish wins this little battle in the HD war. Maybe Direct can counter something positive by the end of the month...ESPNU HD would be a tremendous addition for college football season.

I agree if they add ESPNUHD that would be great for the upcoming season, I would have to jump in and get sports pack

 

[Curtis0620]

Very "meh". Thought for sure they would pull some positive surprise. Instead, we actually got less than expected with a few of the RSNs being delayed.

I guess Dish wins this little battle in the HD war. Maybe Direct can counter something positive by the end of the month...ESPNU HD would be a tremendous addition for college football season.

Yes they win with their 14 VOD HD that has only shown 1 movie to date.

 

[Skyboss]

Okay, wow. This is disappointing. The only value I see maybe is all of Sunday Ticket in MPEG 4 usign the RSNs for the FOX feeds. But, WTF.... Since when was D-12 required for a major boost in channels. Up to now it was all about D-11 getting to major national HD coverage. Planet Green HD??? WTF??? WHO FREAKIN CARES ABOUT THIS CHANNEL!

I believe I'll stand behind my initial statement. Today's roll-out is totally freakin' weak.

This is the proper way the rollout should occur.

Nice spin. If it wasn't for Sunday Ticket I'd be punching out right now.

 

[DodgerKing]

I believe I'll stand behind my initial statement. Today's roll-out is totally freakin' weak.



Nice spin. If it wasn't for Sunday Ticket I'd be punching out right now.

What were you expecting? Everything was laid out 2 weeks ago?

Spin? It is a fact. Direct announced that this is the exact sequencing of events. Insiders mentioned exactly what would happen weeks ago. The bird went live 1 month prior to the original plan. Other things, such as balancing and conversion, must occur first. These were the channels listed to go live in the latest PR release 2 weeks ago. So I don't understand why people were expecting this to be a big event. It is simply one step of many more to come.

Let me also add. Remember last year when the first HD launch from D10 was huge? I believe this was the one and only time this has ever happened. Every roll out since has been minor, a couple channels per week. So this is nothing different from their normal way of doing things. Also, remember the issues with PQ with that large D10 HD launch? Remember all of the macroblooking, drop in signal, lip sync issue? The all at once approach did not go well and it took them weeks to get everyting working properly. The little step approach seems to work better. By launching a couple of less popular channels and PPVs, should issues arise it will not effect too many and it will be easier to resolve (such as the turning off of some of the PPVs). The fact that they did not launch 3 of the RSNs are probably due to the same issues that prevents them from launching many of the other channels we want launched.

 

[rkr0923]

Looks like the 2 new ones has no HD programing.........according to the guide anyway.
Why all the duplicate channels?

 

[skottey]

Seems like a waste of space to make 18, yes EIGHTEEN, pay per view channels, when there are channels like Hbo that could be added. Who watches all those pay per view channels anyway.

I agree with you. I NEVER watch PPV. I own 500+ DVD/HD-DVD/blurays and have two DirecTV DVRs almost full, and a cable DVR almost full, along with 100+ SD movies and shows I archived off various DVRs over the years as they got nearly full. The problem now is that I have no way to archive HD. I have no HD-DVD or bluray burner and if I did it would cost way too much. So it is a race against the DVR to watch the HD stuff or delete it to make room for more. My point is, PPV is the LAST thing I need more of. I never use it. In fact, in my custom fav guide, I have blocked out all the PPVs (along with the reilgious, shopping, and channels I don't get or want).

The only thing I can think of is that they are planning a huge roll out of the HBO/Max HD channels sometime soon. Like, all at once. Since they have most of the Starz and a good helping (but not all) of the Showtimes, it would be nice to see them really hit it hard with the HBO channels. This is ridiculous, having only the flagship east and west feeds of HBO and Max. There are 26 HD channels available of HBO/Max... we get 4.

They don't need PPVs as placeholders. Give us AMC HD, Travel Channel HD, all those HBO/Max channels. This is silliness.

But it was nice to reconfigure my guide this AM to include the Showtimes. I still cannot figure out why Showcase HD and Showcase are on different channel numbers, when just about everything else that there are two of shares a channel number.

 

[DodgerKing]

Looks like the 2 new ones has no HD programing.........according to the guide anyway.
Why all the duplicate channels?

The guide has not been updated. Renovation Nation was definitely in HD.

 

[tigerfan33]

I agree. Bad PR on Directs part. The ordinary Joe will not see this as adding up to 130 hd channels. They do not know like the many of us that they are placeholders for more future hd channels. Not much different than Dish if you ask me.

 

[Skyboss]

Spin? It is a fact. Direct announced that this is the exact sequencing of events. Insiders mentioned exactly what would happen weeks ago. The bird went live 1 month prior to the original plan. Other things, such as balancing and conversion, must occur first. These were the channels listed to go live in the latest PR release 2 weeks ago. So I don't understand why people were expecting this to be a big event. It is simply one step of many more to come.

People are expecting it to be a big event because D* made it sound as if it would be. While we sit here daily reading up on things knew what was coming, but hoped for a surprise. The vast majority does not and they are freakin' pissed off right now.

I'm pissed for the mere fact that DirecTV should have had deals in place to launch channels, regardless the start date knowing full well they would have the capacity in the "August to September" time frame. I can't imagine a programer saying, "you can't have our HD feed until September". I can imagine them saying, "How freakin' soon can you get this channel we spent millions on up and running?"

Instead, we get a bunch of sports channels with programming no-one can watch because of blackouts (unless you want to watch college bowling) and a ton of PPV, plus a bone of a couple of channels no-one really gives a rip about. Charlie won today, DirecTV has egg on their faces.

That my friend, is fact.

They don't need PPVs as placeholders. Give us AMC HD, Travel Channel HD, all those HBO/Max channels. This is silliness.

Amen Brotha.... Mad Men "In HD where available"... Ooops!

 

[ChrisK114]

Geez, what a society of complainers we have become. Does anyone remember the boatload of channels we received almost a year ago? Does anyone really believe that D* is not commited to adding all the HD channels they can?? HD is a luxury. It is not a God given right. I remember when all those channels were launched last year and people were still complaining about what the ones they didn't add. Patience is a virtue,my friends and I have no doubt, that in time we will all be happy. Will D* have every HD channel in existence? Probably not. There are too many variables to that equation. Give it time and after it all shakes out if you still aren't happy, speak with your wallet and go somewhere else. Okay, I will get off my soapbox now.

 

[DodgerKing]

People are expecting it to be a big event because D* made it sound as if it would be. While we sit here daily reading up on things knew what was coming, but hoped for a surprise. The vast majority does not and they are freakin' pissed off right now.

They said exactly what they are going to do. The listed these exact channel in their PR and said they would be converting 12 RSNs to full time and adding PPVs. Why would you expect anything else and be disappointing when they did exactly what they said they were going to do?

I'm pissed for the mere fact that DirecTV should have had deals in place to launch channels, regardless the start date knowing full well they would have the capacity in the "August to September" time frame. I can't imagine a programer saying, "you can't have our HD feed until September". I can imagine them saying, "How freakin' soon can you get this channel we spent millions on up and running?"

Why are you assuming it is contractual? If it is, do we know what the contracts state? With the expectation of D11 not going live until September, the contracts signed months ago may not take effect until a future date?

Also, there are more than just deals. There are uplink, audio, PQ, transmission, compression, ex issues. Baby steps seems to be the best way to do things to limit these listed issues.

Instead, we get a bunch of sports channels with programming no-one can watch because of blackouts (unless you want to watch college bowling) and a ton of PPV, plus a bone of a couple of channels no-one really gives a rip about. Charlie won today, DirecTV has egg on their faces.

IFirst, it really annoys me that people keep repeating this lie about no-one getting to see RSNs due to blackouts. I watch pro games on out of market RSNs as do a LOT of direct subs. This is not true.

Secondly, the RSNs may not be important too you, but they are important to those within those respective markets and those with sports packages such as EI. This is a HUGE revenue source for Direct and one of the reasons people choose Direct over other providers.

Third, how did Charlie win? Direct still has more HD channels, way more subs, makes much more money, and they are just getting started.

That my friend, is fact.

Nothing you stated was fact. It was all opinion. And the few non opinion things you did state, such as NOONE being able to watch games on out of market RSNS due to blackouts is simply wrong.

 

[DodgerKing]

Geez, what a society of complainers we have become. Does anyone remember the boatload of channels we received almost a year ago? Does anyone really believe that D* is not commited to adding all the HD channels they can?? HD is a luxury. It is not a God given right. I remember when all those channels were launched last year and people were still complaining about what the ones they didn't add. Patience is a virtue,my friends and I have no doubt, that in time we will all be happy. Will D* have every HD channel in existence? Probably not. There are too many variables to that equation. Give it time and after it all shakes out if you still aren't happy, speak with your wallet and go somewhere else. Okay, I will get off my soapbox now.

No doubt. They sound like my students. What is even more annoying is the fact that Direct said this is EXACTLY what they are going to do and they are upset because they expected or were hoping for more with this roll out. For some reason they cannot get it through their head that this is JUST THE BEGINNING.

 

[DodgerKing]

I want more HD! ​

 

[Skyboss]

Geez, what a society of complainers we have become. Does anyone remember the boatload of channels we received almost a year ago? Does anyone really believe that D* is not commited to adding all the HD channels they can?? HD is a luxury. It is not a God given right. I remember when all those channels were launched last year and people were still complaining about what the ones they didn't add. Patience is a virtue,my friends and I have no doubt, that in time we will all be happy. Will D* have every HD channel in existence? Probably not. There are too many variables to that equation. Give it time and after it all shakes out if you still aren't happy, speak with your wallet and go somewhere else. Okay, I will get off my soapbox now.

Since when is HD a luxury? Maybe 5 years ago, but not today.

Yes, the digital transition is the only requirement, but local networks and the majors have opted to make HD a component of that transition, something we ironically pay an additional sum of money for. In other words, we are in fact paying extra for what is standard fare come February.

The only way for cable networks to compete with the majors is to offer an HD feed of their channel, which effectively makes thier SD versions obsolete, and again we pay a premium so that we no longer have to watch an obsolete channel.

The point being, we're paying for a premium which is no longer a premium at all. Digital transition is no longer the benchmark standard, HD is and will be in the future. To pay "extra" for what is now the industry standard is absurd.

At the end of the day, many of us have been forking over $10 a month for HD for going on 8 years for some of us. We have funded D's ability to grow in the HD arena. And this is the best they can do? You must be joking.

 

[DodgerKing]

Since when is HD a luxury? Maybe 5 years ago, but not today.

This sums it up right here. No wonder you are not happy!

 

[Skyboss]

IFirst, it really annoys me that people keep repeating this lie about no-one getting to see RSNs due to blackouts. I watch pro games on out of market RSNs as do a LOT of direct subs. This is not true.

Really? What Baseball games on Fox Sports RSNs can I watch tonight? I'm in the San Diego DMA and I don't have the MLB package. Please advise me on which games are available. I'd like to watch.

Good luck in finding a game.

 

[Rey]

Black bars are 100 times better than stretched content.

YEP

 

[Curtis0620]

Sure wish we would have gotten those 14 VOD HD like DISH subs got.